A pair of bargaining agreements between unions and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) have been ratified. The agreements had been reached earlier but were awaiting the ratification process to be completed.  

The first is a collective agreement with SEIU-West, which represents 11,500 health care workers in a number of areas, including nursing, environmental services, administration and more. The new deal is for five years and is retroactive to April 1st, 2017. It expires on March 31st, 2022. The agreement has a financial settlement of increases of 0 percent, 0 percent, 1 percent, 2 percent and 2 percent. There is an option for a sixth year with a 2 percent increase.  

The other agreement is with the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, the organization that represented more than 10,000 registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners in Saskatchewan. The agreement between SAHO and SUN will see increases of 0 percent, 0 percent 1 percent, 2 percent, 2 percent and 2 percent. The agreement also recognizes recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission relating to health care. The agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2018, and expires March 31st, 2024.  

The ratification of the agreements means the settlement of all collective bargaining agreements for the Saskatchewan Health Authority. This is the first time that has happened since the creation of the SHA.